Collapsing crane kills college tudent

SEATTLE PACIFIC UNION

ASAM NEWS

A construction crane collapsed on top of a car killing passenger Sarah Wong, 19, a first year student at Seattle Pacific Union and three others, reports the Seattle Times.
A friend in the back of the car with Wong miraculously survived. The conditions of the driver is not known.

Two of the other people killed were workers involved in disassembling the crane. The third victim has not been identified, but is said to be a person in another vehicle.

According to KOMO News, Wong attended Faith Bible Church. Her pastor said Wong’s parents immediately flew up from Los Angeles after the news.

“Her parents joined us for service,” said Danny Cohen, a Youth Leader at Faith Bible Church. Cohen described Wong as outgoing and someone who enjoyed dance.

The Seattle Times said she had a passion for the environment and had explored a career in nursing. Just two weeks ago, she danced in a campus cultural showcase put on by a Pacific Islander student group which Wong was an active member.

“My initial thought was that this couldn’t actually be happening,” said a friend Lauren Tan. “She spread so much love, encouragement and kindness to everyone around her.”

Voting by Asian Americans spiked for the midterm elections

Voting by Asian Americans increased by 49% during the midterm elections in 2018, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The almost 50% jump in voting when compared to the last midterm election in 2014 indicates an increased interest in participating in the electoral process which might be due to  aggressive voter registration drives and get-out-the-vote campaigns by AAPI community advocacy groups and ethnic media.

A poll by the Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF) showed that AAPI voters overwhelmingly voted Democratic in the 2018 elections and were strongly motivated to vote against Trump because of his anti-immigrant policies.

Overall, voter turnout went up among all voting age and major racial and ethnic groups. Fifty-three percent of the citizen voting-age population voted in 2018, the highest midterm turnout in four decades, while the 2014 election had the lowest, says the data from the Current Population Survey’s Voting and Registration Supplement.

Comparing the voter turnout of men and women, there was no significant difference between the genders among AAPI voters. That was not the case in other ethnic groups.

Voter turnout for non-Hispanic black women was 55 percent, compared with 47 percent for non-Hispanic black men, an 8 percentage point gap.

Hispanic women voted at higher rates than Hispanic men, with 2018 voter turnout rates of 43 percent and 37 percent, respectively.

The difference between male and female turnout was two percentage points among non-Hispanic whites.

The biggest jump in voting was among younger voters, which traditionally had low voter turnout. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, voter turnout went from 20 percent in 2014 to 36 percent in 2018, the largest percentage point increase for any age group — a 79 percent jump.

Other findings of the report showed that voter turnout went up more in some groups than others from 2014 to 2018:

• Among men and women, voter turnout increased by 11 and 12 percentage points respectively.
• Voter turnout increased among non-Hispanic Asians by 13 percentage points, a 49 percent increase.
• Among Hispanics, voter turnout increased by 13 percentage points, a 50 percent increase in Hispanic voter turnout.
• Non-Hispanic black voter turnout increased by 11 percentage points.
• Those with higher levels of education had higher levels of voter turnout in 2018.  Those with less than a high school education had the smallest increase in voter turnout (5 percentage points). Those with a high school diploma or equivalent had the second-lowest increase (8 percentage points).
• Voting by native-born and naturalized citizens both increased by 12 percentage points. This increase is not significantly different between native-born and naturalized citizens.
• Unlike the 2014 midterm election, voter turnout among those living in nonmetropolitan areas (up 8 points) was lower than for those living in metropolitan areas (up 12 points).

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Indian American family featured in HBO's new series

INSTAGRAM / MELANIE CHANDRA

The women developing  HBO's 'Attachment' are, from left: Executive producer Lauren Levy Neustadter, Melanie Chandra, co-executive producer Jade Weng abd writer and producer Amy Aniobi.

Indian American actress Melanie Chandra is teaming up with Insecure writer and producer Amy Aniobi to create a new  series for HBO.

Chandra wants the project, titled Attachment, to give a more authentic insight into the world of Indian Americans.

The series tells the story of a first-generation Indian American tech CEO who’s forced to share her tiny New York City apartment with her mother, who’s considering a divorce. The two learn to live with each other — and for themselves.

Chandra, best known for starring in Code Black, will be a consulting producer for Attachment,

“You have NO idea how thrilled I am to finally share this with the world. Dear friend and powerhouse @janiobi and I just sold a show to HBO!!! Over the last 2 years, we’ve been quietly plugging away," Chandra posted on Instagram. 

"We dreamed of creating a series built around an Indian American girl, female ambition, and the complicated relationships between immigrant moms and their first gen kids. We poured so much of ourselves into these characters and the world we created,” she wrote.

Produced by Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, according to the publication, no release date or casting has been announced.

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Love rom-com movies with a racially mixed cast?

Cosmopolitan's cover says it all: "Hollywood just got hotter," referencing Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton, the costars of The Sun Is Also A Star. It would be hard to find a more attractive couple.

Are you hooked on rom-coms and can't wait for Henry Golding as the leading man in Last Christmas or the sequel of the ground-breaking Crazy Rich Asians? Perhaps The Sun is Also A Star, which hits theaters May 17, will satisfy that void in your life.

“What if I told you I could get you to fall in love with me…?” asks the The Sun's character Daniel Bae, played by Melton. College-bound romantic Daniel Bae and Jamaica-born pragmatist Natasha Kingsley meet—and fall for each other—over one magical day amidst the fervor and flurry of New York City. Sparks immediately fly between these two strangers, who might never have met had fate not given them a little push. But will fate be enough to take these teens from star-crossed to lucky in love?

With just hours left on the clock in what looks to be her last day in the U.S., Natasha is fighting against her family’s deportation as fiercely as she’s fighting her budding feelings for Daniel, who is working just as hard to convince her they are destined to be together. A modern-day story about finding love against all odds, The Sun Is Also a Star explores whether our lives are determined by fate or the random events of the universe. The film stars Yara Shahidi (Grown-ish) as Natasha and Charles Melton (Riverdale) as Daniel.

“Being an Asian-American lead for a studio film — it almost seems like it’s not real for me, you know?” Melton says in Cosmopolitan‘s May cover story. The Korean American actor says it’s been “very emotional” to be cast as the leading man in the movie, especially opposite Shahidi, who is also bringing diversity and representation to the screen. “Yara is Iranian and black. It’s very surreal,” 

Melton adds, “Growing up, I never saw anybody who looked like me, really,” he says of  the groundbreaking Crazy Rich Asians, which featured an all-Asian cast. “I cried seven times. It was just so emotional. Everyone was of Asian descent, and I was like, Wow.”

Like Golding, Melton is another strong argument against the old Hollywood belief that says audiences don't like Asian men in romantic situations. Directed by Ry Russo-Young (“Before I Fall”), the The Sun is Also A Star is based on the acclaimed bestseller by author Nicola Yoon. The book was No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list and has received multiple accolades, including: 2016 National Book Award Finalist; Amazon’s Best Book of 2016 in YA; Amazon’s Top 20 Children’s Books of 2016 in YA; the New York Times Notable Children’s Books of 2016; and Entertainment Weekly’s 10 Best Books of 2016.

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Trump favors the white guy over the first Asian American No. 1 draft pick

Draft pick No. 2, Nick Bosa, left, was congratulated by Trump. The No. 1 pick, Murray was ignored.

Leave it to Donald Trump to make the NFL draft about himself and his base.

Apparently, winning the Heisman Trophy, the award given to the best college football player, getting drafted in pro-football AND major league baseball or being the first Asian American to be taken No. 1 in the NFL draft was good enough for Trump to send Kyler Murray a congratulatory message

Instead, Trump opted to tweet congratulations to the No. 2 pick, defensive end Nick Bosa, who is white, and passed over the Arizona Cardinal's choice, Murray, who is part Korean and part African American.

"Congratulations to Nick Bosa on being picked number two in the NFL Draft. You will be a great player for years to come, maybe one of the best. Big Talent! San Francisco will embrace you but most importantly, always stay true to yourself. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump tweeted, completely ignoring Murray's accomplishments.

Bosa voiced his support for Trump on social media years ago. However, more recently he had been critical on numerous occasions of Colin Kaepernick and his national anthem protests. He even went after Black excellence in various tweets, calling Beyonce and Jay-Z’s music “trash” and describing Black Panther as the “worst Marvel movie” ever. All tweets about Kaepernick and attacks on Black celebrities have been deleted from Bosa’s Twitter account. 

The fact that the offensive tweets were deleted indicates Bosa and 49ers are aware the public relations challenge for the team in the liberal San Francisco Bay Area.

In his first press conference in front of reporters who cover the 49ers, Bosa apologized for his past remarks, attributing them to his younger self. 

"I'm sorry if I hurt anybody," Bosa said. "I definitely didn't intend for that to be the case. I think me being here (San Francisco) is even better for me as a person, because I don't think there's anywhere, any city, that you could really be in that would help you grow as much as this one will. I'm going to be surrounded with people of all different kinds, so I'm going to grow as a person. I'm going to be on my own. I'm going to grow up, I'm gonna learn a lot of new things. It's exciting."

Talking about Kaepernick, who started kneeling during the National Anthem in protest of the unequal treatment of people of color by the judiciaal system.

"No, It wasn't directed toward that. It's not like I'm saying his stance and what he was doing -- that's not what I was talking about at all," said Bosa. "It was just a specific thing that happened, and me, as a young kid, a thought popping into my head and, boom, decided to tweet it out. Bad decision. I respect what he's done. If it empowers anybody, then he's doing a good thing. I apologize for that."

Forgotten in the Twitter storm generated by Trump's diss is U. of Oklahoma quarterback Murray, who has thus far kept his political views to himself. Drafted by the Arizona Cardinals, Murray's father is African American and his mother is half Korean.

Ignored by Trump, Murray has attracted the attention of basketball legend LeBron James. Murray has come to an agreement with James' production company for a documentary about Murray's journey to becoming a professional football player. 

After winning the Heisman Trophy last year, he did apologize for homophobic rermarks he tweeted in 2012.

“I apologize for the tweets that have come to light tonight from when I was 14 and 15. I used a poor choice of word that doesn’t reflect who I am or what I believe. I did not intend to single out any individual or group.”

To the credit of both young men, they owned up to their past mistakes and apologized. That is more than can be said about Trump, who hasn't apologized for ignoring Murray, the first player chosen in the NFL draft.

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Lawyer: Chinese families are victims in college admissions scandal

Freshmen moved onto the Yale campus in the fall of 2018.

New reports indicate two families in China are accused of paying more than $1-million dollars each to get their children into college, reports the Wall Street Journal.
The family of 21-year old Sherry Guo paid $1.2 million to get her into Yale. She is no longer enrolled at the Ivy League institution. Guo’s family is accused of paying the money to Rick Singer, who prosecutors call the mastermind in the scandal. Then Singer allegedly paid former Yale women’s soccer coach Rudolph Meredith $400,00 to get Guo in as a soccer recruit.

A second family from China is suspected of paying $6.5 million for their child's admission to an unidentified college. Neither family has been charged, but remains under investigation.

The indicted families – including actors Felicity Huffman (who has pleaded guilty) and Lori Loughlin – with everything from conspiracy to commit fraud to money laundering.

Because of their unfamiliarity with the American colleges' admission process, the two families paid significantly more than the 33 parents already facing criminal charges in the case, according to Axios. Those families paid $250,000 – $400,000.

According to Guo’s lawyer, James Spertus, the applicant and her parents did not know the payment was going to be used for a bribe. The parents reportedly do not speak English, never had direct contact with Singer, and the report alleges that that Guo was “naive” about the American college admissions process, repports Refinery29.

Singer reportedly sent the money as a donation to Yale soccer coach extolling the applicant's soccer abilities. The coach has since resigned.

Sherry Guo moved to the U.S. as a teenager and attended high school as an older student in California, which explains why -- at age 21 -- she is listed as a freshman at Yale. where she worked at the Yale Layer, an undergraduate publication; her information has since been scrubbed.

The Guo daughter is "devastated because she is no longer in college, period,” said Spertus, who also claims that the large size of the payment may indicate that Singer was exploiting the Guo amily and their lack of knowledge about the college process in the U.S.

“The amount alone shows that he was preying on the Chinese community,” he told the New York Times, claiming the family thought the money was for a donation. “They did not know that he was going to use that money for a bribe. There is no evidence of that whatsoever.”

AsAm News contributed to this report.

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Sunday Read: Chinese Americans warn of racial profiling in probes of scientists

Chinese Americans are increasingly being caught up in the crackdown on Chinese scientists, researchers and students  accused of spying and theft of U.S intellectual properties. The anti-Chinese policies of the Trump administration are  raising the specter of racial profiling, say two groups of Chinese Americans.

"Last week's news reports on what is likely the first wave of a crack down targeting primarily Chinese American scientists at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston are unsettling, because of the manner in which the investigations were carried out, and the fear they have generated," said the United Chinese Americans in an April 25 statement. 

"No scientist has been charged with a federal crime. Yet, reportedly, at least 10 scientists have retired, resigned, been fired or placed on administrative leave, with more parties affected. Fifty-five other NIH-funded institutions are currently carrying out similar investigations in response to U.S. government concerns."

The UCA statement reiterates the concerns of a strongly worded letter published in Science today (March 21), a group of Chinese-American scientists voice concern that recent proposals from the National Institutes of Health and FBI actions could lead to unjust targeting of ethnically Chinese scientists.

“The letter on behalf of Chinese scientists raises valid and important issues that have major implications, not only for the Chinese scientists directly affected, but also for the US’s standing as a global leader of scientific knowledge production and the US universities where they work,” said Jenny Lee, an educational policy and practice researcher at the University of Arizona who did not contribute to the letter, writes in an email to The Scientist.

The scientists' letter, signed by members of the Society of Chinese Bioscientists in America (SCBA), the Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network (CAHON), and the Chinese Biological Investigators Society (CBIS), points to recent comments by FBI director Christopher Wray and an NIH report, which “single out students and scholars of Chinese descent working in the United States as threats to U.S. national interests.”

UCA blames the governments apparent crackdown on the growing deterioration in U.S.-China relations of recent years. It has endangered academic freedom in American universities and research institutions as well as scientific exchanges between the two countries. 

"At the same time, tighter scrutiny and growing distrust of Chinese Americans have had a profoundly adverse effect on this community, who historically has suffered profoundly from the notorious Chinese Exclusion Act and Red Scare. Once again, Chinese American scientists are caught in the crossfire between the two global powers, becoming collateral damage as a result of the charged atmosphere," continued the UCA statement.

The vast majority of Chinese American scientists are law-abiding. Some who have been prosecuted with espionage related charges have turned out to be totally innocent. But to this day, their reputations, careers and lives remain in tatters. 

In many other cases, people have had multiple felony charges leveled against them but at the end, have been convicted of much lesser offenses, e.g., mishandling of data. 

Since 1996, altogether fewer than 200 defendants—about 31% or 58 of them ethnic Chinese or Chinese Americans — have been charged, not all convicted, for trade secret theft, under the Economic Espionage Act, claims UCA. Of those cases of conviction, most of the guilty parties were motivated by personal financial gains, not economic espionage carried out in collaboration with a foreign power or with the intent to benefit a foreign government, says UCA.

In their statement, UCA recommends

• Chinese Americans scientists and scholars to continue to advocate for strong U.S.-China exchange programs and increased sensitivity training for law enforcement agencies; 
• The Chinese government "earnestly" protect U.S. intellectual property rights;
• U.S. law enforcement agencies strengthen internal training and safeguards "to reduce implicit bias and discrimination, to enhance communication with Chinese American communities and to ensure that the freedom and civil rights of all Chinese Americans are rigorously protected."
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Chinese American Taylor Rapp drafted by the Los Angeles Rams

SCREEN CAPTURE / NBC

Safety Taylor Rapp at the NFL combine wher ootball prospects display their skills to NFL scouts.

University of Washington safety Taylor Rapp was selected by the L.A. Rams in the second round of the NFL draft, thus becoming one of the handful of Asian American professional football players.

Projected to be selected early in the second round of the draft by one of the 32 teams, Rapp had to wait until 60 other college football prospects were picked before his name was announced. Having skipped the first round due to trades, Rapp was the Rams first action in the draft.

Concern about a hip flexor injury which appeared to slow his time in the 40-yard dash may have lowered lowered his value to teams.

“Got (the hips) checked out by the Rams’ doctors and physical stuff there, so it’s completely healthy,” Rapp said. “I’m ready to play ball now. I’m ready to get to work.”

The Rams' newest safety will bring with him an acute sense of his privileged position as a highly paid and highly visible sports figure shaped by his experience growing up as a community north of Seattle with few Asian Americans.

“They make fun of how you look ― your eyes, the widened, slanted eyes. There were a few instances where I was called the Ch-word. It was offensive to me. It made me embarrassed of who I was,” he said. “That’s why I never embraced it growing up. I was different than everyone else, and I didn’t want to be.”

Since then, Rapp has grown to be proud of his heritage, displaying several conspicuous Chinese tattoos. And with guidance from fellow players who could relate to Rapp’s struggle, as well as the encouragement of Asians on social media who look up to the player, Rapp is now looking to be a role model for others.

“To me, it’s about gaining a platform that will help inspire a generation of Chinese and Asian American kids,” he told NFL.com. “I don’t want to be just an answer to a trivia question; I want to inspire and have a real impact.”

This year is a banner year for Asian American football players and  breaks down the stereotype that Asian Americans can't excel in football.

The No. 1 pick in the draft is Kyler Murray is part Korean, the Heismann Trophy winnr as the best football player in college football. The 5'10" quarterback was selected by the Arizona Cardinals football team.

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Alaska legislators seek to honor Hmong veterans .

Thousands of Hmong Americans immigrants have made Alaska their new home.

Legislation in the Alaska want to make sure that the Hmong American veterans' sacrifices and loyalty to the United States are not forgotten.

The Alaska House of Representatives on Monday (April 22) passed legislation to establish May 15 as Hmong American Veterans Day in recognition of the Hmong people who fought alongside the United States during the Vietnam War.

Beginning in the 1960s, the U.S. government recruited Hmong to help fight against communism. After the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam, Hmong people became targets, and many were displaced from their home countries. There are an estimated 260,000 Hmong-Americans today, including approximately 3,500 in Alaska.

The U.S. government promised Hmong veterans citizenship and veteran status after the war, but it’s taken more than 50 years for them to receive what they were promised. Their important contributions have often been overlooked.

House Bill 56, sponsored by Rep. Geran Tarr, celebrates and honors the Hmong who were lost, acknowledges the sacrifices they made to this country, and brings pride to their families. The bill passed 38-to-1 and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

“On behalf of Hmong veterans in Alaska and their families, thank you to the House for their support of H.B. 56. I am proud, as are other Hmong veterans, of our service alongside American soldiers,” veteran Pasert Lee told the Alaska Native News. “This annual recognition will allow us an official acknowledgment of service.”

“Many in my generation have received tribute for our service, but this legislation is important as it makes sure Hmong veterans are also honored and recognized for their critical contributions,” said Rep. Laddie Shaw, a retired U.S. Navy SEAL who served in the Vietnam War.

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Just like that, 'Warrior' wins second season

SCREEN CAPTURE / WARRIOR

Andrew Koji is the lead role in 'Warrior,'  the Bruce Lee-inspired action series.

ASAM NEWS

After just three episodes, Cinemax has given the green light to Warrior for a second season, Deadline reported
The show from director Justin Lin and Banshee co-creator Jonathan Tropper is inspired by the late Bruce Lee, whose dream for the program died when his life was cut short.

The story is based on writings of the martial arts legend and pushed forward by his daughter, Shannon Lee.

“Bruce Lee’s vision is alive and well,” said Len Amato, president of HBO Films. “Warrior combines high-energy martial arts with wit and brains. We’re thrilled to renew such a great show for a second season on Cinemax.”

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a renewal after just three episodes is extremely quick. 

Warrior is set around the tong wars in Chinatown in the late 1800s. It's cast is dominated by Asian actors, that include Andrew Koji, Jason Tobin, Olivia Cheng and Dianne Doan.

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Historic NFL draft: Asian American is No. 1 pick

Kyler Murray's mother congratulates her son.

UPDATED April 27, 2:30 a.m. to incude Taylor Rapp's draft status.

When the Arizona Cardinals selected Kyler Murray as the No. 1 pick in the National Football League draft Thursday evening, the team made history by with the Asian American quarterback.

His father, Kevin Murray, is African American but his mother, Misun (Missy) Murray is half Korean. Kyler’s mother is used to people noting the differences in appeerance between her and her son. 

“I know a lot of people are like, ‘What is he?'” said Murray. quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners. “I get asked that a lot myself. So we do subtle things to represent that.”

In late 2018, Murray wore a black dragon-imprinted kimono jacket. He wore that traditional Japanese jacket knowing that people would notice the choice because of his Asian features. Here’s how Missy explained it to the press:

“When we saw the jacket it was like, ‘Gotta have it,’” Missy said. “Cause we’re all about representing our Asian culture. That subtle statement ... came across as kind of a strong statement, but it’s awesome.”

Murray has had quite a year, first getting drafted by the Oakland Athletics and then  winning the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player in the country. As an athlete, Murray faced the dilemma of having to choose between football or baseball for a prefessional career.

By choosing football, he will likely get a contract from the Cardinals higher than the $4.8 million contract that he signed for the A's.

Another Asian American player, Taylor Rapp, a Chinese American safety from University of Washington was drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Rams.

“There’s not a lot of Asian Americans in sport,” he said in his installment of the "Rolling With The Rookies" video series sponsored by Hyundai. “In football there’s none.

“My mission is to inspire Asian American kids who don’t have someone to look up to. I want to be that role model that they can be inspired by.”

“There was really no one that I could really look up to in football specifically,” he said.

Taylor Rapp and his mother

Evidently, Rapp didn't do his homework. Although there have not been many other Asian American to play in the NFL, there have been a handful. He need only look at his hometown team, the Seattle Seahawks, who have Filipino American Doug Baldwin, an all-pro wide receiver.

Rapp's statements also drew a polite understated response from the Pittsburgh Steelers' Superbowl champion Hines Ward, who’s also of Asian descent.

Korean American Ward, who dealt with his share of racism during his time in the NFL, had some uplifting words for Rapp in a video.

“I know you’ve heard it before: ’Asians can’t play football,’” Ward says in the video. “I still remember the first time I heard it. But I learned something too. those words can be a gift. You can feed off that energy. Turn that hate into wins.”

Ward concludes: “So Asians can’t play football, huh? I’d say we’re pretty darn good.”

Rapp humbly tweeted:

Rapp's teammate on the UW Huskies is Cambodian American Jojo MacIntosh is also hoping to picked up in the later rounds of the NFL draft.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Views From the Edge will post a separate article when Taylor Rapp is drafted.

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TGIF Feature: Billboard ranks BTS No. 1 for third straight week

ASAM NEWS

BTS made No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart as the top musical act in the United States for a third week. Their newest album "Map of the Soul: Persona" also debuts at No.1 on the Billboard 200 according to Billboard.com.
The Artist 100 measures artist popularity by key metrics such as music consumption, music sales, radio airplay, and fan interaction across social media. BTS made history as the only Kpop group to top the ranking. They first hit No. 1 last June and returned to the top in September.

BTS continues to make more firsts for the K-pop genre. Their new album opens with 230,000 equivalent album units according to Nielsen Music. 230,000 is the largest weekly total for K-pop album, and the album has only been around for a week according to Forbes. They were able to sell almost 200,000 copies of their album, which is a major accomplishment for artists, especially when music streaming monopolizes. 

Their album sales are the second largest this year, competing with the Backstreet Boys who sold 227,000 copies of their new album DNA earlier this year.

However, Persona is the only non-English album to rise to that position.

2 men charged with stealing turbine technology for China

TWITTER

FBI agents escort Xiaoqing Zheng upon his arrest last summer.

The government's apparent focus on alleged industrial espionage by China have Americans of Chinese descent nervous about being caught between a racial profiling dragnet and China's apparent efforts to steal ideas and technology.

An indictment unsealed Tuesday (April 23) charges Xiaoqing Zheng, 56, of Niskayuna, New York, and Zhaoxi Zhang, 47, of Liaoning Province, China, with economic espionage and conspiring to steal General Electric’s (GE’s) trade secrets surrounding turbine technologies, knowing and intending that those stolen trade secrets would be used to benefit the People’s Republic of China. 

Zheng, who gave up Chinese citizenship to become a U.S. citizen in 2001, pleaded not guilty and was released pending trial. Authorities believe Zhang, who is the nephew of Zheng's wife, is in China, thus out of reach of U.S. authorities.

“The indictment alleges a textbook example of the Chinese government’s strategy to rob American companies of their intellectual property and to replicate their products in Chinese factories, enabling Chinese companies to replace the American company first in the Chinese market and later worldwide,” said John C. General Demers., Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

“We will not stand idly by while the world’s second-largest economy engages in state-sponsored theft. As part of the Attorney General’s China Initiative, we will partner with the private sector to hold responsible those who violate our laws, and we urge China’s leaders to join responsible nations and to act with honesty and integrity when competing in the global marketplace,” said Demers.

Last week, Asian scientists were ousted from a cancer research center in Houston, Texas for allegedly conspiring to steal research secrets. The three researchers were the latest alleged victims in the government's crackdown on economic espionage.

Other Chinese American scientists accused of spying have lost their jobs, reputations and careers ruined even if they are eventually found innocent.

According to the 14-count indictment, Zheng, while employed at GE Power & Water in Schenectady, New York as an engineer specializing in sealing technology, exploited his access to GE’s files by stealing multiple electronic files, including proprietary files involving design models, engineering drawings, configuration files, and material specifications having to do with various components and testing systems associated with GE gas and steam turbines. 

Zheng's indictment followed months of failed plea negotiations between the U.S. attorney's office and Zheng's attorney, Kevin A. Luibrand, according to people briefed on the case. The investigation has also involved members of the U.S. Justice Department in Washington, D.C., who have examined Zheng's alleged ties to China and the Chinese government.

At a detention hearing last year, Luibrand said his client's reputation had been unnecessarily "destroyed" and he offered a forceful defense against many of the government's arguments. Luibrand said there was no evidence that Zheng colluded with the Chinese government or that he sold or used the GE data.

At the time, Zheng was released on $100,000 bail.Zheng is accused of e-mailing and transferring many of the stolen GE files to his business partner, Chinese businessman Zhaoxi Zhang, who was located in China. 

Zheng and Zhang allegedly used the stolen GE trade secrets to advance their own business interests in two Chinese companies - Liaoning Tianyi Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. (LTAT) and Nanjing Tianyi Avi Tech Co. Ltd. (NTAT), companies which research, develop, and manufacture parts for turbines.

The indictment also alleges that Zheng and Zhang conspired to commit economic espionage, as the thefts of GE’s trade secrets surrounding various turbine technologies were done knowing and intending that the thefts would benefit the People’s Republic of China and one or more foreign instrumentalities, including LTAT, NTAT, Shenyang Aerospace University, Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute, and Huaihai Institute of Technology. 

The defendants, through LTAT and NTAT, allegedly received financial and other support from the Chinese government and coordinated with Chinese government officials to enter into research agreements with Chinese state-owned institutions to develop turbine technologies.

Zheng was arraigned Tuesday in Albany, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, and released with conditions pending a trial before United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino.

After Zheng's arrest last summer shone a spotlight on China's Thousand Talents Plan, for which he was allegedly recruited in 2012, according to Bloomberg News.

Many of the accused scientists and researchers caught up in the government crackdown are reportedly recruited by China's  program of seeking overseas Chinese to share their knowledge and talents with China. Chinese leaders once saw "talent" recruitment as crucial to their quest to be a global scientific and technological power by 2049, with Xi Jinping calling it “the key” to China’s scientific development.

One estimate said that 84% of Chinese students studying in the U.S. remained in the U.S. five years after their graduation, according to a U.S. study by the National Science Foundation.

Since Zheng's arrest, China has sought to downplay the plan's significance, purging terms depicting it as a menacing power and toning down language on plans for expansion.

"Keeping a humble attitude is constructive for China’s international relations, easing the doubts that China is anxious to overtake the U.S.’s position in leading the world,” said Wang Huiyao, founder of the Center for China and Globalization, an independent think tank.

Unfortunately, China's strategy has placed many Chinese and Chinese Americans in an awkward position. From China's view, they are encouraging overseas Chinese  and Americans of Chinese descent to share their knowledge and technology to create jobs for Chinese workers or family members remaining in China. Loyalty to family is one of the strongest values of most Asian immigrants.

On the other hand, from the U.S. perspective, that same desire to help family or to Chinese researchers' desire to benefit China and aid the relatives still in China, is giving the impression that they are "stealing" their knowledge and technology from the U.S economy and research institutions.

If found guilty of the multiple charges, Zheng could face up to 15 years in prison and fines in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

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Asian American family dramedy 'Andi Mack' draws to a close

DISNEY

The cast of Andi Mack was led by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, 3rd from right.

If you haven't been a regular watcher of Andi Mack, hurry on over to the Disney Channel and watch a few episodes. If you're too old for this coming-of-age story, you might still be able to recognize yourself in its young cast.

The story about an Asian American young girl and her family growing through her tumultuous teens never garnered the huge audiences or media buzz that network shows seem to generate, but its characters and storylines connected with a young audience.

“Andi Mack was a labor of love for a room of impassioned, inventive writers, a talented and dedicated crew, and an extraordinary, miraculous cast who inspired us all. We had the honor of breaking a lot of new ground for Disney Channel,” said creator and executive producer Terri Minsky. 

“We were its first serialized show, its first series centered around an Asian American family, and its first to feature an LGBTQ character who spoke the words ‘I’m gay.’ But the best part of making Andi Mack was our audience, who let us know we mattered to them. The series finale is for them.”

Unfortunately, the show's third season will be its last, announced the Disney Channel Wednesday (April 24).

The series will return for its final episodes on June 21 and air its series finale on July 26.

Andi Mack stars Peyton Elizabeth Lee as the title character, Lilan Bowden as Rebecca “Bex” Mack, Lauren Tom as Celia Mack, Joshua Rush as Cyrus Goodman, Sofia Wylie as Buffy Driscoll, Asher Angel as Jonah Beck and Trent Garrett as Bowie Quinn.

The series has been praised as a heartwarming, diverse coming-of-age story about the most important things in any young person’s life: family, friends and the journey of self-discovery.

Year to-date, Andi Mack is Disney Channel’s most-watched series overall and its highest-rated among Kids 6-14. It has received a Television Academy Honor, a GLAAD Media Award, a U.S. Asia Institute honor, the Common Sense Media Seal for Quality Family Programming and a Peabody Award nomination.

The cast may have had a sense that their show would not have a fourth season after filming the last episodes of Season 3 last year.  Peton Elizabeth Lee, the series' titular star, tweeted this touching note to her castmates.

“I could spend the rest of my life reminiscing about the last three years,” she wrote in alongside a sweet clip of her and the rest of the cast dancing on set. “The dreams we made realities. the late nights laughing. it has been absolutely magical. that is the only word that truly embodies my experience with andi mack. magic. so whimsical and surreal.”

“To my andi mack soulmates, thank you for making me believe in magic. you were my fairytale,” Peyton continued in the emotional post. “Cheers my family, for the aching in my heart is due to the love we have found in one another. the life we have created is one that will last a lifetime in my soul. every word. every smile. every tear. engraved into my mind. for eternity. i have found something here that in my life so far i didn’t know to be. true love. like in the movies. like in the storybooks. like in our minds. but i found it in salt lake city. i found it in lilan. in asher. in sofia. in josh. in trent. in lauren. in my crew. in andi mack the show. in andi mack the girl.”

“So how does one go about thanking people for giving her a reason to wake up in the morning? for igniting a fire in her soul?” the 14-year-old wrote. “This, i have no answers for. all i know is that three years ago i was just a girl. 11 years old. 4 feet and 9 inches tall. a dream as big as the galaxy. and today. 14 years old. 5 feet and 5 inches tall. and that massive dream has become a reality. a truth that i hold in my heart with each passing day. with every moment. with every breath. may our memories here be as vivid in our minds in 20 years as they are today. may we all feel honest happiness once again. may we all find our happily ever after.”

Andi Mack was reportedly Disney's highest rated show so its cancellation caught its fans by surprise and #renewandimack began trending on social media. Disney didn't offer an explanation of their decision except that the network has a habit of ending their popular series prematurely. Classic Lizzie McGuire lasted only two seasons despite its positive impact on young girls. Girl Meets World met a similar fate.

I have to admit I don't fit the show's demographic (way too old) and I don't have the show on my "must watch" list. However, I remember how difficult those young teen years were like without anybody to share them with or not able to see my angst reflected in pop culture. For today's teenagers and soon-to-be young adults, for a few years, at least, they had Andi Mack.

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Asian Americans give impactful toasts at Time's gala

In a room full of luminaries from the fields of entertainment, sports, journalism and science, gathered together as Time's 100 Most Influential, three Asian Americans stood out when they gave their toasts: comedian Hasan Minhaj, journalist Maria Resa and actress Sandra Oh.

Time magazine's gala honoring the 100 was held Tuesday (April 23) at the Lincoln Center in New York City.

RELATED: Time names 20 Asians and AAPI named as 'most influential'

In his toast, the Hasan Minhaj paid tribute to Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul who also made this year’s TIME 100 list, but couldn''t attend the gala because she is in a Saudi Arabian prison. Minhaj call on Jared Kushner to use his special relationship with Mohammad bin Salman to help  help al-Hathloul,

“I was just hoping he could send a WhatsApp message,” he told TIME after his speech. “[It could say] hey, this person has been fighting for civil liberties for all people. Maybe you should let them out of prison.”

Beleaguered Filipino journalist Maria Resa took the opportunity to encourage journalist to continue to tell the truth.

“I think we’re living through a very unique moment where again it proves that information is power,” said the journalist in her toast.

“Its a completely chaotic time where technology has helped make facts disputable, eroded truth, and crippled trust.”

Resa and the online newsite that she co-founded, Rappler, has been a thorn in Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's side.

Sandra Oh gushing the Beyonce for her work on the Netflix documentary Homecoming, which is about Beeyonce's preparation for the now-legendary Coachella concert.

“It’s such an important piece of work,” Oh said of the concert documentary about her 2018 Coachella performance. “I encourage you all to see it because you’re witnessing an artist at her most potent and working on the deepest cultural level.”

Oh went . on to say, “It’s a good time to be making art. It’s an important time to be making art,” said the Killling Eve star. “I truly believe art evolves our hearts and our minds because it allows us to experience and understand another’s sorrow. It reminds us of universal truths. It connects us. Art can transform us and through us, our culture.”

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